Classic Sermon Outlines (continued)
CLASSIC SERMON OUTLINES — Alexander Maclaren
2. It begins on earth in spiritual likeness. The glorious, corporeal life like our Lord's, which is promised for heaven, is great and wonderful, but it 'is only the issue and last result of the far greater change in the spiritual nature which by faith and love begins here. His true image is that we should feel as He does, should think as He does, should will as He does; have the 'same sympathies, the same loves, the same attitude toward God and the 'same attitudes toward men. —Tha' is +h * Seve seonon Gor Creccisinp . = " \owild ve oveselves 2 GLC brotlers
B. The Significance of the Term "S ame Image."
1. The image we behold.
2. The likeness of all who become like him. As if he had said, "Various as we are in disposition and character, unlike in the history of our lives, _and all the influences these have had upon us, differing in everything but the common relation to.Jesus Christ, we are all growing like the same image and we shall come to be perfectly like it and yet each retain his own distinct individuality."
3. The aggregate perfectness of the individual church. In the Epistle to the Ephesians Paul says that the Christian ministry is to continue till a certain point of progress has been reached which he describes as our all coming to a "perfect man" (Ephesians 4:13). The whole of us together make a perfect man: the whole make one image.
CONCLUSION
The law of the transformation is the same for earth and for heaven. Here we see Him in part and beholding we grow like Him. There we shall see Him as He is and the likeness will be complete.
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fSllexander Maclaren
SERMON TWENTY-FIVE
MEASURELESS POWER
AND ENDLESS GLORY
Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
—EPHESIANS 3:20-21
THE FORM of our text marks the confidence of Paul's prayer. The exuberant fervor of his faith, as well as the natural impetuosity and ardor, comes out in the heaped-up words expressive of immensity and duration. He is gazing on God confident that he has not asked in vain.
I. THE MEASURE OF THE POWER.
A. According to the Riches of His Glory (Ephesians 3:16).
1. Its explanation. The "riches of His glory" can be nothing less than the whole uncounted abundance of that majestic and far-shining nature, as it pours itself forth in the dazzling perfectness of its own self-manifestation.
Gu. meramerolisis 2. Its effect. Absolute perfectness, the full transmutation of our dark, cold being into the reflected image of His own burning brightness, the ceaseless replenishing of our own spirits with all graces and gladness akin to His, the eternal growth of the soul upward and Godward.